Gold Coast United have received some great news with word that star striker Shane Smeltz is on his way back to the club. The New Zealand international has decided to go back on his deal with Chinese Super League club Shandong Luneng because he believed it would be too hard for his family to settle in Jinan, 400km south of Beijing.

Smeltz was set to join Shandong but will now return to the Gold Coast and there is no chance of a transfer tug-of-war as his International Transfer Certificate was never released by his A-League club.

Gold Coast owner Clive Palmer confirmed to the Townsville Bulletin that the dual A-League Golden Boot winner was on his way back.

"There has been an issue for Shane there and he's coming home," Palmer said.

"We are hopeful of retaining him for the coming season and we'll have to wait and see what transpires.

"As things stand we don't believe we have transferred him and it doesn't look like we will be either."